Service providers are generally unable to efficiently notify subscribers about issues within a network that may impact service. By way of example, when a border gateway protocol (BGP) gateway to the Internet becomes unavailable, subscribers who access the Internet via the BGP gateway may no longer be able to access the Internet. Although some service providers may post a notice on a website to explain a planned outage of a network control protocol such as the BGP gateway, many service providers do not post notices. In addition, notices are typically not posted in the event of an unplanned outage of a network control device that may have a bearing on a service rendered to a subscriber. Further, even if a notice is posted on a website, a subscriber may not necessarily be able to interpret the notice regarding an outage, e.g., because the subscriber does not realize that the particular outage impacts them.
The inability to access the Internet when a network device which offers connectivity service, such as a BGP gateway, becomes unavailable may lead to subscriber dissatisfaction, as for example because of a violation of a service level agreement (SLA). Further, in some instances, subscribers who are not aware of an outage that affects them may overburden servers on a common radius authentication dial in user service (RADIUS) server system by connecting and reconnecting point-to-point protocol (PPP) sessions in attempts to reach the Internet. Overburdening servers may lead to a denial of access to the Internet for subscribers who are not directly impacted by the lack of availability of the network control device which offers connectivity service. In addition, when a network control protocol becomes unavailable, there may be an increased load on the call or support center of a service provider.